Windows 8 Consumer Preview: Pats and Pans

Several reviewers have grabbed the new Consumer Preview for Windows 8, loaded it up, and took a look. Here’s the gist of it so far!

What’s Good?

Most reviewers tout the Metro style Interface as slick

Most Reviewers like the improved touch interface and gestures

Mouse scrolling resembles swiping

Easier app switching

Large touch keyboard with predictive text & spelling

Slick new versions of mail, messaging photos, calendar contacts and social network, plus a SkyDrive to be coming soon.

IE 10

Support for ARM processors to make Win 8 available on mobile phones and tablets

The Not So Good, Yet:

It’s still early. There will be hiccups and fixes.

As with all new iterations of Windows, once it’s released, backwards compatibility with some applications will suffer.

Traditional desktop/laptop users, have to go through a few hoops to get a mouse-driven desktop tile, which, by the way, strongly resembles your current Win7.

It’s actually two UI’s. Metro which is touch driven, and a Win7 Clone for mouse users.

Not much good to say about the Metro Mouse Driven UI.

Reviewers Say:

Business Insider: While touting the Windows Metro View for touch applications, this reviewer said, “Microsoft’s solution for Windows 8 on non-touch screen devices is to hide the traditional Windows layout behind the metro view. It looks nearly identical to what you see on Windows 7 today.”http://www.businessinsider.com/windows-8-review-2012-3

Beta News: “Personally, I think the Windows Re-imagined concept goes a little too far. Now Windows 8 and Metro are not a lost cause by any means and they do offer some exciting new features. What Windows 8 needs is to go back to its roots and to become Windows again. This does not mean getting rid of Metro. It means blending Metro and the desktop metaphors better. I really think Microsoft could have a real success on their hands with Windows 8, if they just simply rethink why people use Windows in the first place and what they do with it.” http://betanews.com/2012/03/14/windows-8-metro-found-wanting/